Five-Run Fifth Helps Union Past Sullivan

Union used a five-run fifth inning Sunday to get past Sullivan 18U 6-3.

Isaiah Hoelscher’s two-run homer snapped a 3-3 tie and gave the edge to the former Post 297.

Sullivan held a 3-0 lead through four innings, buoyed by a two-run first.

They scored again in the third and missed a chance to add on with the bases loaded in the fourth.

Logan McCummiskey went five innings, allowed five hits, five runs and struck out six. He walked one.

Alex Branson hurled the final two innings, allowing two hits, one run and getting one strikeout.

Kaden Motley started for Union, but couldn’t escape the third inning. He allowed four hits, three runs and three walks.

Andrew Bruner relieved him and threw 4.1 scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and struck out one. Only six of his 40 pitches were balls.

Josh Wiese had three hits and scored twice, while McCummiskey helped himself out with two hits.

Braden Carey and Blayten Nolie each doubled. Nolie had two RBIs.

Branson also drove in a run.

Nolie, Cooper Beckett and Justin Lowe each walked.

Nolie put Sullivan up 2-0 in the first when he drove in Wiese and McCummiskey with a double to left.

Branson lined out to short and with Cy Cape batting, Nolie took third on a wild pitch. The inning ended with a strikeout.

Wiese led off the third with an infield single to short. Nolie walked and a wild pitch by Motley moved them into scoring position. Branson drove in Wiese with a groundout. Nolie went to third. 

Motley hit Cape with a pitch and walked Beckett to load the bases. Union called in Bruner, who retired Lowe to escape the jam.

McCummiskey went three up and three down in the first two innings. An error on a line drive by Blake Borgmann started the third, followed by a walk to Derek Hulsey. McCummiskey sidestepped the damage and retired the next three batters.

In the fourth, he punched out Hoelscher and Peyton Burke looking in a perfect frame.

Union rallied in the fifth. Zeek Koch led off with a single and advanced to second on an error after a Borgmann hit a ground ball. They moved up to second and third. 

Bruner lined into a fielder’s choice, with Wiese throwing out Koch at home. Chase Mehler, who was sent in to courtesy run for Borgmann, advanced to third. He scored when Bray grounded out to second, making it 3-1.

Mason Bailey kept the inning alive with a base hit to left, bringing in Bruner. Bailey would score on an error in left to tie the game at 3-3.

Hoelscher connected on the first pitch he saw for a two-run homer to give Union a 5-3 lead.

Hoelscher added an RBI single in the seventh to extend the lead.